Southern Water has confirmed that the average household combined bill – for customers receiving both wastewater and water services – will increase by 8% this April.
This announcement comes as the water company prepare to enter the second year of their biggest ever 5-year investment plan, through to 2030 – spending £8.5 billion to deliver the improvements that customers have said they want to see:
- A drastic cut in storm overflows into rivers and seas
- A clear plan to tackle the societal challenges of climate change, water scarcity and population growth
- An end to serious pollution and flooding incidents
- A truly resilient and future-proofed water supply across our region
- A trusted and easy customer service
The rise is also helping us support more families who may need extra financial support to pay their bill – reaching almost 200,000 customers, or 10% of our entire customer base, with a minimum discount of 45% on their bill.
Chief Customer Officer Antonia Barton said:
“We understand that times are challenging for many customers, and we’re doing all we can to support those who need it, while delivering the improvements our customers have told us matter most.
“Over the next 5 years, we’re investing £8.5 billion to upgrade ageing infrastructure, protect rivers and seas, and make water supplies resilient for generations to come. This is the biggest ever investment in our water infrastructure, and it’s essential to keep services reliable and sustainable long term. Every penny of the bill increase will be reinvested into improving our services. Nothing will go to shareholders.
“As part of this plan, we’ve worked hard to spread rises more evenly over the coming years to reduce the impact on households. We’re also expanding help for those who need it most, with around 10% of our customer base able to benefit from a discount, flexible payment plans, and a hardship fund for those facing exceptional challenges. If you’re worried about paying your bill, support is available – and we’re here to help.”
Households receiving water-only services from us will see an average bill rise of 25.8%, but customers receiving wastewater-only services will see a decrease of 4%.
Non household customers will see an increase in wholesale water charges of 28.1%, offset by a 6.3% reduction in wholesale wastewater charges.
Following last year’s larger 46.7% average household bill rise, which came after a decade of static charges to front-load investment plans, this year’s 8% rise represents our strategy to spread the remaining increases over the next 4 years so they are as manageable as possible for our customers.
For more information about how we spend revenue from customer bills, please visit www.southernwater.co.uk/help-and-support/why-is-my-bill-going-up
This ‘Ooh, look how good we are being with all this investment’ makes me sick – why haven’t they been doing it every day since they took over instead of paying themselves massive amounts while the infrastructure fell apart?
Really? How is this even allowed? My water bill is £80 per month for two people. We don’t wash our car, we don’t fill a pond or a pool, or water the garden in the summer. And now they want an extra 8%?? They make the ferries look cheap!!
Corrupt bastards all of them..bloody shareholders and ones at the top get their bloody high wages and bonus..
Sorry to swear but we have to pay for their
Fcuk ups!
it is all wrong.
Well, screw em. I’ve told them before. Can’t pay anymore, take me to court.
Who privatised the water ?. Wonderful Tories. Nationalise the debt: privatise the profits.
Water is a necessity and should be heavily subsided not a cash cow for the shareholders and fat cat directors and C.E.O.s. Disgusting!!!
The rise is also helping us support more families who may need extra financial support to pay their bill
why the hell should the rest of us pay higher bills just to support freeloaders – they are not our problem
Bill increase of 56% in 13 months. Only our monopoly utilities can get away with such a rip off.
Nothing more than ‘Day light Robery ‘.
What has happened to the money they have already taken from us in the past?? Oh that’s right it’s gone into the pockets of senior officers and share holders rather than carrying out work on our ageing pipes.
So where are we expected to find this extra money from again! Last years rise has caused problems, what next we have to use Southern Water as there is no alternative so is it heating or food?
What a damn cheek this Southern water have, years of paying themselves & shareholders vast amounts & under investment in Southern water including pumping raw sewage into our waterways it’s a huge national scandal.
Im fed up with these bill increases so they can all have massive pay rises with my money, massive con job 2 people in my household bill now 77 quid a month disgusting
“We understand that times are challenging for many customers” – they understand nothing and nor do they care. They bled the company dry and paid out big dividends and bonuses whilst investing nothing and now expect us to pay for the investment again. Wht does OFWAT permit this to happen? They to are clearly not trying to preserve the interests of the customer. It is a racket and the companies shoudl be left to go bust then renationalised.